Yoginis
In some contexts, yoginis are female practitioners of Tantra and Yoga, in Buddhism and Hinduism. In Tantric Buddhism, yoginis were the seekers of the path to enlightenment. In Hindu traditions, Yoginis are a group of wild and erotic attendants of the Goddesses, who have divine powers. They are often associated with Matrikas, describing yoginis as being born from Matrikas goddesses.
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In temples, Yoginis appear in groups, frequently of 64 or 81. Hence, the origin of 64 yoginis from 8 Matrikas or 81 yoginis from 9 Matrikas, became a tradition. Although there’s no list of yoginis with constant names, their iconographies vary with different temples with different sets of Yoginis. These yoginis can be the folk goddesses who were adopted by Hindu traditions. In most of the temples, the yoginis are grouped together with the Puranic goddesses or Matrikas. Many of them retained their original local name and rituals but iconographically they resemble the popular Hindu goddesses. They are depicted with either a fierce or an erotic appearance and sometimes with animal heads or a human body of flesh and blood. The Kashi Khanda of the Skanda Purana provides a list of the sixty-four animal-faced Yoginis. In an early 10th-century lost yogini temple of Lokhari, Uttar Pradesh, twenty statues have been found with nearly all having the heads of animals.
Animal-faced Yoginis
The Kashi Khanda of the Skanda Purana provides a list of the sixty-four animal-faced Yoginis. Following is a list of yoginis with animal names mentioned Kasi Khanda:
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In an early 10th-century lost yogini temple of Lokhari, Uttar Pradesh, twenty statues have been found, nearly all having animals' heads. Some of them are named Ajanana, Sharpamukhi, Rksanana, Shashanana, Gomukhi, ; Hayagriva, Hayanana, Mrigashira, and Vrishanana.
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Yoginis in Ranipur-Jharial temple
In the Ranipur-Jharial temple, located in Odisha, many Yogini are portrayed as female human figures in various dancing postures. These yoginis are grouped together with some multiple-armed goddesses, animal-headed yoginis, and yoginis carrying war weapons, all in dancing posture. This can be a product of puranic or tribal rituals. The Padma Purana mentions a dance of 64 yoginis with Shiva after killing the demon Jalandhar.
Yoginis in Shahdol temple
Yogini statues from the Shahdol district in Madhya Pradesh are elaborately carved with local and tribal elements. They are shown seated or standing on animals, ghouls, and corpses. Names of some Yoginis are Badari, Naini, Krishna Bhagavati, Jyoti, Vasabha, Narasita, Tarala, Tarini, Varahi, Mahismardini, Kapalini, Hayavadana, Chapala, Tamaka and Thabha. Some of these Yoginis are goddesses mentioned in Hindu literature while others can be the local deities and have a fearsome depiction.
Yoginis in Hirapur temple
Hirapur temple is located near Bhubneshwar, in Odisha, and is the smallest Yogini temple. In the temple, all the yoginis are depicted with their vahanas or mounts and in a standing posture. The yoginis here are puranic Hindu goddesses and the main yogini in this temple is Mahamaya. Four Bhairavas along with four yoginis are installed in the inner circuit of the temple. The outer wall of the temple has nine Katyayanis, all standing on severed heads.
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Nine Katyanis outside of the Hirapur Temple
Photo by Manidvipa
Following is a list of the sixty-four yoginis of the Hirapur Temple and their mounts:
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